Nitrostarch explosive



Patented Oct. 30, 1923.

umrsl WALTER O. SNEIQLING, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOTROJAN POWDER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

NITROSTARCH EXPLOSIVE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknownthat I, WALTER O. SNELLING, a citizen of the United States,residing in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania,

have invented a Nitrostarch Explosive, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to nitrostarch explosives, and more particularly tothe preparation of nitrostarch explosives of exceptional strength andbrisance.

It has long been known that explosives possessing desirable propertiescould be made by mixing together nitrostarch and an inorganic nitrate ofhigh oxygen value 1 such as the nitrates of sodium, potassium, andammonium, and explosives consisting of mechanical mixtures of nitratesof ammonium and sodium with nitrostarch.

l 29%, I find that the strength of an explosive containing lead nitrateis materially greater than the strength of an explosive containing anequivalent weight of sodium nitrate. Comparative tests of a considerablenumber of explosives containing corresponding quantities of sodiumnitrate and lead nitrate have invariably shown thatthe explosivescontaining lead nitrate possess greater greater strength than explosivescontaining 0 sodium nitrate, instead of possessing less strength aswould be expected from the smaller amount of available oxygen containedin lead nitrate-as compared with the amount of oxygen available insodium nitrate. 7

As an example of an explosive made in accordance with my presentinvention, I may-take thirty parts of nitrostarch, sixtyusual way.

Application filed October 14, 1922. Serial No. 594,592.

nine and five-tenths parts of lead nitrate, and one-half of one part ofoil. The three constituents are thoroughly mixed together, and may thenbe packed in cartridges in the The explosive so prepared possessesexceptional strength and forms a very desirable explosive for commercialblasting where maximum shattering effect is desired. 7

By increasing the amount of oil slightly, a reduction in sensitivenessof the explosive is obtained without any corresponding reduction in itsstrength when detonated by a suitable priming charge. For explosives forfilling shells or for other urposes where a relatively insensitive exposive of great strength is required, I prefer to employ a mixturecontaining 40% of nitrostarch, 57% of lead nitrate, and 3% of oil.

It will be evident that I may employ any of the other ingredientscommonly employed inexplosives, in connection with the compositionsembodying my present invention. I may, forexample, add an anti-acid suchas sodium bicarbonate or zinc oxide for the purpose of increasing thestability of my combustible ingredients such as wood pulp,

or flour, or I may add a material such as sulfur that can combine withthe lead set free by the explosion of my compound, and

in general I may modify my explosive mixtures in accordance with any ofthe well known methods of the art.

I claim:

1. An explosive comprising nitrostarch and lead nitrate.

2. A nitrostarch explosive containing as a constituent lead nitrate.

3. An explosive comprising nitrostarch, lead nitrate, and an oil.

WALTER O. SNELLING.

